Shoeshine kit



May 1 1956 y c. E. JOHNSON 2,743,474

sHoEsHINE KIT Filed June l, 1953 Bnventor C24/w E. JWM/50N (Ittorneg United States Patent Oilce 2,743,474 Patented May 1, 1956 SHESHINE KIT y Carl E. Johnson, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application June 1, 1953, Serial No. 358,915*- 2 claims. (ct 15A-25s) This invention-relates to afunit comprising a pluralitynected construction that ismanipulated'with easy facilityto` givel ready access to the various components ofthe device; v

The invention also has for its objects to provide such means that are positive in operation, convenient in use, easily installed in a working position and easily disconnected therefrom, economical of manufacture, relatively simple, and of general superiority and serviceability.

The invention also comprises novel details of construction and novel combinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear in the course of the following description. However, the drawing merely shows and Y the following description merely describes one embodiment of the present invention which is given by way of illustration or example only.

In the drawing, like reference characters designate sirnilar parts in the several views.

Fig. l is a side elevational View, partly separated, of a shoeshine kit according to the present invention, with portions thereof broken away to show sectional detail.

Fig. 2 is an end view as seen from the left of Fig. 1 with the kit in closed condition.

Fig'. 3 is a cross-sectional view as taken on line 3 3 of Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a plan view from the inner side of the upper portion of the kit as shown in Figs. l to 3.

The kit'that is illustrated comprises, generally, complementary housing members S and 6, and a shoe brushing and buing unit 7 within members 5 and 6 and serving to separably connect said members to form an inclosure.

Housing member 5 comprises side walls 3, connected by a transverse wall 9, and having an end wall 10, and an end closure 11 that is connected by a hinge 12 to wall 9 and is opposite to end wall 10. Member 5, therefore, is of U-shaped cross-section and has an interior hollow or space 13.

At the end that is closed by closure 11, member 5 is provided with a transverse relatively shallow partition 14 against which said closure closes and which cooperates with end wall 10 to confine dauber or similar brushes l5 and 16 against endwise displacement, a longitudinal partition 17 is provided in the interior ofV member S to serve as a separator for brushes 15 and 16 and, thereby, conline them against lateral displacement.

Said brushes 15 and 16 are removably held in place in housing member S'by entering one end of each intoa recess 18 in end wall 10 and retaining the other end of each by a catch or'detent 19ithat is swingable on a pivotv 20 to anoutward position freeing'eachsaid other end to allow removalof said brushes asfdesired. Y The 'pivot 2) is provided inthe end of partition 14.

Since each brush has bristles only on the end thereof directed toward end1wall'10, the other end constituting a handle, the spacejbetween saidhandles and wall 9`is utilized by placing therein relernentsrZlof'generally longitudinalform. Such elements may comprise one or morecontainers for'sh'oe laces, sticks or tubes of polish, etc. Thespaces formedby longitudinal partition 17 are dividedtlongitudinally` byfadditional partitions 22" which,

together with parti'tioni17,l separate elements21.v It will' be notedffrom Fig. 3, that said partitions 22 locate brushes 15 and. 16 relative towall 9': Said'brushes-and elements, therefore, are-compactlyarranged adjacent wall 49 leaving the'open'side ofispace13 clear for unit`7;

Housingy member 6is`similar; to ymember 5 except that the interiorspacefZZ thereof is clearof longitudinal partitions. Thus, member 6 comprises side fwalls" 231con-` nected by a transverse wall 24, and havingan end wall 25,-' and :an tend closur'e 26^thatis connected-by a hinge 27to wall 241and isgoppositek tofendV wall 25'.y

.Each side lWall13and524, adjacent its openedge andl on the-'inner side=fth'ereof, isprovided 'with a longitudinal channelsZSextending forthe length of members Sand-6 andifopen at .the ends'thereofclosed"by'closures andV The unit 7 comprises a generally rectangular back 29, a Y

set of brush bristles 30 on one side of said'back and a butter 31 on the opposite side. v

Thewidth of said back 29 is such that the same slidingly tits between the side walls '8 and 24, and the length such that the same lits between end walls 19 and 25, at one end, and closures 11 and 26, at the opposite end. The longitudinal faces of the back are each provided with suitably spaced longitudinal ribs 32 that are guided in recesses 28 of members 5 and 6. When so intertted withV unit 7, the housing members S and 6 are preferably slightly spaced as indicated at 33.

The brush bristles 30 are generally conventional and of a height to occupy the space 13 not already occupied by brushes 15 and 16 and elements 21.

The buffer 31 is shown as a lambs wool outer part 35. backed by a felt filler 35. The total thickness of lambs wool and felt substantially lls the interior of housing member 6.

Since unit 7 is assembled with housing members 5' and 6 by an endwise engagement, one with ther other, the initial alignment of ribs 32 and channels 28 is facilitated by the provision of pads 36 at the open ends of said housings. Said Vpads affording ledges against which the opposite faces of back 29 may be placed preparatory to sliding assembly of the parts.

Closures 11 and 26 are held closed by means of bclt- A like members 37 that are carried by slides 38 guided in channels 39 provided in the outer faces of said closures,

suitable eyes 40 being provided in the edges of walls' 3 and 23V to receive members 37.

Housing members 5 and 6 may advantageously be made of a transparent plastic material to render the components housed therein visible when the kit unit is closed. lf the housing is made of opaque material, the sets of slidesA 33 Vis to be used. Similarly, member 5 constitutes a hand grip for Vthe buler 31.

From the foregoing the manner of access to and use of the different components of the device are believed to be so obvious that detailed description thereof is deemed to be unnecessary. However, the compactness, when closed, and the utility of the kit are evident.

The two housing members 5 and 6 may have the same general dimensions or they may vary in height, depending on the proportional size of. the components housed there While l have illustrated and described what I now contemplate to be the best mode of carrying out my invention, the construction is, of course, subject to modication without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is, therefore, not desired to restrict the invention to the particular form of construction illustrated and described, but to cover all modifications that may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus decribed the invention, what I claim and desire to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A shoe shine kit comprising a unit provided with a rigid back having shoe polishing means on opposite sides, said back being generally rectangular and having two pairs of spaced longitudinal ribs extending through the entire length of the longitudinal edges of said back, first and second elongated U-sectioned members, each member having two parallel channels extending through the entire length of the respective member to slidingly'intert with one pair of said longitudinal ribs by sliding said member onto said back from end-toend of said back, a xed endcover closing oft one end of each member and abutting against one end of said back when said member is `axially slid over and onto said back, a hinged end-cover for closing off the other end of said member after said back is slid into said member, and locking means for each respective end-cover for positively interlocking said back with each of said members; whereby said members are capable of acting as hand grips for said back and as protective covers for said shoe polishing means when both of said members are mounted on said back, one of said U-sectioned members having two side-walls having said t channels and a top interconnecting said side-walls, a

plurality of longitudinal partition members mounted on the inner surface of said top and constituting an integral part of said top, said partition members extending from the open end of said tirst member through the greater part of the length of said top for dening a plurality of longitudinal storage compartments adjacent to said top and a transverse shelf at the closed end of said member.

2. A shoe shine kit as defined in claim l which also includes a exible spring clip at the open end of said first member for acting as a support for auxiliary equipment stored Within said first member.

References Cited inthe file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 603,982 Weaver n May 10, 1898 685,765 Jacobs Nov. 5, 1901 1,469,643 Hovey Oct. 2, 1923 2,618,006 Morris Nov. 18, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 22,576 Great Britain of 1903 162,077 Great Britain Apr. 22, 1921 446,471 Great Britain Apr. 30, 1936 

